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1974 Cook Islands general election

Field	Value
country	Cook Islands
previous_election	1972
next_election	1978
election_date	3 December 1974
seats_for_election	22 seats in the Legislative Assembly
majority_seats	13
nopercentage	yes
party1	Cook Islands Party
leader1	Albert Henry
seats1	14
last_election1	15
party2	Democratic Party (Cook Islands)
leader2	Thomas Davis
seats2	8
last_election2	7
title	Premier
before_election	Albert Henry
before_party	Cook Islands Party
after_election	Albert Henry
after_party	Cook Islands Party

Early general elections were held in the Cook Islands on 3 December 1974. The result was a victory for the ruling Cook Islands Party (CIP), which won 14 of the 22 seats in the Legislative Assembly with 64% of the vote. The Democratic Party won the remaining eight seats. CIP leader Albert Henry remained Premier.

Background

The early elections were called by Henry following a visit to New Zealand for the funeral of Prime Minister Norman Kirk, stating that he also wanted to hold a vote on self-government or integration into New Zealand. A planned referendum would have seen voters given the options of independence, self-government or integration. However, the referendum plans were later dropped.

Campaign

Henry's government refused to allow the three thousand Cook Islanders living in New Zealand to vote by post, most of whom were expected to vote for the Democratic Party. Henry also obstructed attempts to charter an Air New Zealand plane for voters to fly home. However, the Democratic Party was able to charter an Air Nauru Boeing 727 to fly in some voters. Voters paid their own fares, and the flights were open to all regardless of party affiliation. The tactic was copied by the government at the next election, though with public money.

Democratic Party attempts to distribute leaflets to outer islands were also stopped by Henry.

Results

By electorate

Constituency	Candidate	Party	Votes
Aitutaki–Manuae	Geoffrey Henry		644
William Estall		628
Joseph Williams		628
Moeua Raela			188
Timote Turu			164
Tutai Mataiti			158
Atiu	Vainerere Tangatapoto		267
Paul Tangata		259
Teariki Franco Mateariki			198
Mataki Kaiaruna			195
Mangaia	Pokino Aberahama		427
Ngatupuna Matepi		414
Ngamokopuna Tomokino			143
Pukeiti Uritua			130
Manihiki	George Frederick Ellis Jr.		108
Tihau Napara			76
Mauke	Tupui Ariki Henry		196
Tupuna Ngaoire			54
Mitiaro	Raui Pokoati		98
Ta Ngatoko			16
Penrhyn	Tangaroa Tangaroa		186
Ben Samuel			38
Fred Ford			26
Puaikura	William Heather		410
Tamataia Pera		409
Harry Napa			401
Taru Moana			388
Pukapuka–Nassau	Inatio Akaruru		307
Mataora Tutai			56
Rakahanga	Pupuke Robati		84
Turuta Temu			50
Takitumu	Apenera Short		484
Tiakana Numanga		475
Taramai Tetonga		465
William Cowan			395
William Robert Hosking			395
Moerai Kekena			391
Te-au-o-Tonga	Albert Henry		1,107
Thomas Davis		1,080
Eric Man Browne		1,055
Teanua Kamana		1,041
Tamarua Joseph Browne			1,031
Mana Strickland			1,026
Mani Browne			1,015
Tuoro Rangi Anguna			1,000
Source:

Aftermath

After the CIP lost their two-thirds majority and ability to amend the constitution, Henry threatened to take action against Democratic Party supporters working in the islands' civil service.

When the newly elected Assembly convened, Marguerite Story was re-elected as Speaker.

1977 Takitumu by-election

An election was held on 22 December 1977 to fill the vacancy after the death of Tiakana Numanga.

References

[https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-333490132/view?partId=nla.obj-333562661#page/n8/mode/1up Towards self-government, or something] ''Pacific Islands Monthly'', October 1974, p7
[https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-333519384/view?partId=nla.obj-333576114#page/n20/mode/1up Cooks have three roads to choose from at elections] ''Pacific Islands Monthly'', November 1974, p19
[https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-333573767/view?partId=nla.obj-333617464#page/n95/mode/1up No votes for Cooks exiles in NZ] ''Pacific Islands Monthly'', December 1974, p90
[https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-332657442/view?partId=nla.obj-332676288#page/n8/mode/1up/search/elect Islander examines the rule of the House of Henry] ''Pacific Islands Monthly'', September 1976, p8
Davis, Tom. (1992). "Island Boy: An Autobiography". Institute of Pacific Studies, University of the South Pacific.
(24 December 1974). "The Cook Islands Gazette No. 81/74".
(24 December 1974). "The Cook Islands Gazette No. 82/74".
[https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-333662249/view?partId=nla.obj-333663826#page/n5/mode/1up Pacific Islands Monthly]
[https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-333662249/view?partId=nla.obj-333663826#page/n5/mode/1up New year begins with a political bang in the Cooks] ''Pacific Islands Monthly'', January 1975, p4
[https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-333667334/view?partId=nla.obj-333691948#page/n22/mode/1up/search/elect The status quo] ''Pacific Islands Monthly'', March 1975, p21

Wikipedia Source

This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page.

elections-in-the-cook-islands 1974-in-the-cook-islands 1974-elections-in-oceania september-1974-in-oceania election-and-referendum-articles-with-incomplete-results

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